The Knight of the Shores
by KinlaThunder t.H
Summary: When Gawain's daughter, Elaina, decides that she wants to go questing, she wastes no time convincing her parents and packing clothes, food, and her best weapons. But with knights mistaking her for one of Arthur's knights, surviving in the wilderness and feeding herself are the least of her concerns.


Elaina jumped back to avoid contact with her opponent's sword. He swung at her again but she deflected it. . . barely.  
>"Well Sir Owen, your skills seemed to have improved since the last time we met." She sliced at his shoulder.<br>"Ha! This time you will not escape and I will not be punished by my king for failure" he replied, jumping from her attack and slashing at her shoulder. Elaina gave him a basic overhand diagonal chop, which he blocked easily. But during her recovery, Owen jabbed at her gut, making her do a falling 180. Grabbing her weapon, he whistled and a young boy came out of a near by bush. The kid was holding a rope which he used to tie the fallen warriors hands together.  
>"Sir Benson, we best bring her to the king. He will know how to punish her." Owen suggested to his partner, trying his best to mock Sir Gawain's low voice. It didn't go so well and Benson was laughing so hard that he almost let go of the captive.<p>

Benson and Owen bowed as they approached King Ethan.  
>"Benson! I told you that I don't want to see the prisoner. Bring her to the dungeon." he bellowed, turning to Owen when they were gone.<br>"Owen, I'm tired of seeing you bring her in only to have her escape or be set free, just to be captured again! I want you to finish her." Owen nodded and walked to the cell where they kept the soldier. But when he got there, Benson was in the cell!  
>"Sir Owen! She is going to kill the King!" he stammered. The duo ran back to Ethan only to see the escapee pinned to the wall by him.<br>"I'm going to finish you!" he yelled.  
>"Noooooo! Ethan stop. Don't kill her!" Charis cried, running from the house with her hands in the air. But it was too late. Ethan stabbed her and Elaina fell to the ground and slowed her breathing to the bare minimum.<br>"HOW DARE YOU!" Charis screamed, dropping to the ground.  
>"Really mother?" Elaina sat up and rolled her eyes. Charis let out a huge breath as she started back towards the house.<br>"Goodness. You are all over 10 but you still all play like 6 year olds."  
>"Well I guess that game is over." Owen shrugged. The siblings walked into the log house and sat at their regular seats at the rectangular oak table. Their parents joined them and they ate in a content silence.<p>

About half an hour later, when everyone was done eating, Elaina spoke,  
>"I want to go questing!" The silence returned then left just as fast.<br>"Well that is a fair dream to have." Charis hesitated.  
>"No mother! For real. I wish to travel, fight other knights, and save helpless little towns from dragons."<br>"And what if you get killed!? How would we find out? What would we do!?" the natural mother worrying started to kick in.  
>"If I die then you will be sad, but I try not to think about it." Elaina shrugged sarcastically. After a moment of silence, their father spoke.<br>"We will think about it."  
>"Gawain! No we will not think about it!" Charis gasped in amazement.<br>"Let us talk about this in another room." Gawain put his hand on his wife's shoulder as they left the room and the kids started their regular evening chores.

"Gawain, I will not have our only daughter risk her life for her own pleasure. It is pointless!" Charis started. "It is not lady-like."  
>"She is more of a man than Ethan and we both know that! Yesterday, when Elaina was out fighting, Ethan was washing the dishes, and cleaning the kitchen! We both also know that I promised my uncle that my children would become knights. I cannot fail my King after all these years." the knight frowned.<br>"So you are implying that we let her go?"  
>"Yes." Charis nodded and started to cry. Gawain embraced her as they walked out to the yard to where their daughter was reinforcing the wood pile. When she got the news, Elaina nearly hit herself with the log she was holding. She couldn't say enough thank-yous as she ran into the house to pack.<p>

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><p>This chapter is pretty short but I hope you enjoy! Please review, follow, etc. Thanks! K.T.<p> 


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